MelodyBarnes has been appointed co-director for Policy and Public Affairs for the Democracy Initiative at the University of Virginia. She is currently the Compton Visiting Professor in World Politics and a Senior Fellow at the university’s Miller Center as well as a Distinguished Fellow at the School of Law. Previously, she served as director of the Domestic Policy Council for President Obama from 2009 to 2012.

Professor Barnes holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree from the University of Michigan.

Patrice Buckner Jackson has been named vice president of student affairs at Albany State University in Georgia. She was the associate vice president and dean of students at Georgia Southern University.

Dr. Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Webster University in Missouri, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and administration from Georgia Southern University.

Ashley Reid has been appointed academic success coordinator in the athletics department at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She was previously the director of operations for track and field/cross country at the University of Texas.

Reid holds an associate’s degree in liberal studies from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Colorado State University.

Jason Brooks has been appointed director of the University of Kentucky’s Martin Luther King Center. He was the assistant dean of students for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Emporia State University in Kansas.

Brooks holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, both in horn performance, from Emporia State University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in higher education administration from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas.

Gregory S. Thomas has been named executive director for the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was a strategist in the Emerging Innovation Group at Corning Incorporated.

Thomas is an undergraduate alumnus of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and holds an MBA in finance and operations management from Clark Atlanta University.

Angelika Williams has been named director of financial aid at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She was the director of scholarships and financial aid at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is currently pursuing a doctorate of business administration from Walden University.

Shannon Frank Reeves, Sr. has been named director of alumni affairs at Grambling State University in Louisiana. He was an assistant professor of political science and public administration at Alabama A&M University.

Reeves holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from Grambling State University. He also holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Alabama, where he is currently pursing a doctoral degree.

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Professional sports teams have discontinued playing Kate Smith’s version of “God Bless America” at games due to her recording of songs in the 1930s that contained racist lyrics. Which statement best reflects your view?

I agree that Smith’s version of “God Bless America” should not be played.

Smith’s recordings with racist lyrics should be considered in context of the times.

Abraham Lincoln made racist comments, should we ban the reciting of the Gettysburg Address?